NEW LONDON, Conn. – The Lesley University women's team claimed placed first at the 2017 Mitchell College Cross Country Invitational on Saturday morning. Lesley had five runners finish in the top eight to secure the team win with a total of 19 points. Elms (39) and Mitchell (80) rounded out the team standings.

Lesley's Amy Bouchard (Goffstown, N.H./Goffstown) edged out Elms' Sarah Tatgenhorst (Winterport, Maine/Hampden Academy) for the women's individual title with a time of 21:14. Bouchard closed a considerable gap on the back stretch of the final leg, taking the lead as both runners made the final turn for the finish line. She sprinted the final 100 meters to cross the line in a course-record time of 21:14.6, with Tatgenhorst right behind at 21:16.2.

Senior Alexandra Dimauro was not far behind reaching the finish at a time of 21:55 and placing third.  Rounding out the top Lesley runners were Freshman Julia Fagundes claiming fifth, Junior Nicole Footer placing sixth, and Senior Jordan Penny placing eighth of the total number of thirty-three racers.

The Wheelock men placed four runners in the top 10—led by a fourth-place showing by Riley Cushing (New Castle, Maine/Lincoln Academy)—and tallied a team score of 34. Dean College placed second with 54 points while Elms College came in third with 72 points. Mitchell and Lesley rounded out the team scoring with totals of 81 and 103, respectively.

Mitchell's David Still (New London, Conn./New London) was the first runner to cross the finish line, logging a course-record time of 17:14.9. Newbury's Geralson Withrow finished as runner-up in a time of 17:20.0. The two ran nearly step-for-step for most of the race, although Still made his move with 150 meters to go and broke away down the final stretch. Lesley men were led by Graduate Student Kolin Perry with time 21:16.

The Lynx next travel to the Worecester State Invitational on September 23.

Article courtesy of Mitchell Athletics